Building Bridges to Exercise by Randy

 

The Stroke Comeback Center is Building Bridges to survivor exercises.  What does that mean?  It is for helping survivors to always be involved with our recovery. 

 

I had a massive hemorrhagic stroke on May 19, 2011.  At age 51 I could not understand what happened to me.  As a survivor I got lucky that I am able to walk and run.  However I do have a language disability called Aphasia.  I speak pretty well however I have trouble with words.  My memory is a challenge as well.  Reading and writing is also extremely difficult.  However due to all of this we as stroke survivors never give up!

 

Okay here we go.  Exercise has always been one of my passions.  Exercise began for me as running.  Weight lifting started shortly after running.  After my stroke I started working out at home.  Part of this was because I had to practice my physical and occupational exercises from the therapists.  My wife bought a treadmill to help me with my walking and balance.  In August of 2011 my wife and I were at the beach.  We were walking then we began running.  My runs were slow.  Now I am able to accomplish my 5k runs.  Basically my 5k is roughly a 37 minute run. 



So now that that has happened, my new passion is to be a exercise trainer.  I want to be able to help other survivors.  It is very important to me to help these people. 

As a trainer, which I am not yet, but I hope to be.  I think that is a problem due to my memory is not good.  This is very much due to my reading and writing.  I am able to help other people and do many of the right moves but I have a very hard time with the words.  I have trouble connecting the word to the movement.